http://islambase.info/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=72&Itemid=185
He (the inquirer) said: Inform me about Iman (faith). He (the Prophet) replied: That you affirm your faith in Allah, in His angels, in His Books, in His Messengers, in the Day of Judgment, and you affirm your faith in the Divine Decree about good and evil. [Sahih Muslim]
Belief in the Messengers of Allah (s.w.t) is known as the fourth pillar of Iman. To understand this topic correctly the following must be known.
The main aspects constituting this pillar
1. To believe in all the Prophets and Messengers mentioned in the Qur'an and Sunnah
2. To believe they carry the truth
3. To believe the Prophets and Messengers are free from distorting the message
4. To believe we must obey them by the Will of Allah (bi-idhnillah)
1. Belief in all of those Prophets and Messengers mentioned in the Qur'an and Sunnah
Terminology
1. Nabi means Prophet from the Arabic verb Naba (bump or elevated)
2. Nabuwa means Prophethood and is defined as “A report from Allah (s.w.t) to whomever he chooses as a Prophet”
3. Anbiya/Ambiya means Prophets
4. Rasul means Messenger
5. Risalah means Message in this case “What Allah (s.w.t) reveals to His Messenger from amongst His servants, whether written or not written to convey to the people”
6. Rusul/Mursaleen means Messengers
7. The definition of a Prophet: A Prophet is a person chosen by Allah (s.w.t) to reveal to, and to convey to the people whilst referring back to the to the Shariah (Laws) of the previous Messenger.
8. The definition of a Messenger: A Messenger is a person chosen by Allah (swt) to reveal a message, which must be conveyed to the people. This may contain a new Shariah.
The list of Prophets mentioned in the Qur'an in the chronological order as sent to mankind:
1. Aadam (Adam)
2. Idrees (Enoch)
3. Nuh (Noah)
4. Houd (Heber)
5. Saaleh (Shelah)
6. Ibraaheem (Abraham)
7. Lout (Lot)
8. Ismaa’eel (Ishmael)
9. Ishaaq (Isaac)
10. Ya’qoub (Jacob)
11. Yousuf (Joseph)
12. Shu’aib (Jethro)
13. Mousa (Moses)
14. Haroun (Aaron)
15. Daawoud (David)
16. Sulaymaan (Solomon)
17. Ayoub (Job)
18. Ilyaas (Elijah)
19. Dhulkifl (Ezekiel)
20. Al-Yasa (Elisha)
21. Younus (Jonah)
22. Zakariyaa (Zechariah)
23. Yahya (John)
24. Eesa (Jesus)
25. Muhammad
An example of a verse whereby Allah (s.w.t) mentions the prophets is, Say (O Muhammad S.A.W): "We believe in Allah and in what has been sent down to us, and what was sent down to Ibrahim (Abraham), Isma'il (Ishmael), Ishaq (Isaac), Ya'qub (Jacob) and Al-Asbat [the twelve sons of Ya'qub (Jacob)] and what was given to Musa (Moses), 'Isa (Jesus) and the Prophets from their Lord. We make no distinction between one another among them and to Him (Allah) we have submitted (in Islam)." [Surah Aali Imran 3:84]
Although only 25 prophets are mentioned by name in the Qur'an, a Hadith in the Musnad of Imam Ahmed mentions that there were 124,000 of them in total throughout history, also Allah (s.w.t) says,
And verily, We have sent among every Ummah (community, nation) a Messenger. [Surah An-Nahl 16:36]
And, indeed We have sent Messengers before you (O Muhammad S.A.W); of some of them We have related to you their story and of some We have not related to you their story. [Surah Ghafir 40:78]
2. To believe the Messengers carry the truth
O mankind! Verily, there has come to you the Messenger (Muhammad S.A.W) with the truth from your Lord, so believe in him, it is better for you. [Surah An-Nisa 4:170]
This verse (ayah) means, Muhammad (s.a.w) has come to you with guidance, the religion of truth and clear proof from Allah (s.w.t), so believe in him.
Verily! We have sent you with the truth, a bearer of glad tidings, and a Warner. And there never was a nation but a Warner had passed among them. [Surah Fatir 35:24]
This ayah means a bearer of glad tidings to the believers and a Warner to the disbelievers; all is in truth from Allah (s.w.t).
3. To believe that the Prophets and Messengers are free from distorting the message
This means to believe that Allah (s.w.t) protects the Prophets from making any mistakes or error in transmitting what Allah (s.w.t) intends via His revelation. The Prophets are infallible (Ma’soum) when it comes to this role. Allah (s.w.t) says, Nor does he speak of (his own) desire. [Surah An-Najm 53:3]
Asserting that nothing the Prophet utters is from his own desire or wish.
It is only an Inspiration that is inspired. [Surah An-Najm 53:4]
Meaning he the Prophet (s.a.w) only conveys to the people that which he is commanded, in its entirety without additions or deletions.
Imam Ahmad recorded that `Abdullah bin `Amr bin Al Aas (r.a) said, "I used to record everything I heard from the Messenger of Allah so it would be preserved. The Quraysh discouraged me from this, saying, `You record everything you hear from the Messenger of Allah, even though he is human and sometimes speaks when he is angry' I stopped recording the Hadiths for a while, but later mentioned what they said to the Messenger of Allah, who said,
(Write! By He in whose hand is my soul, every word that comes out of me is the truth.)'' Abu Dawud also collected this Hadith.
Allah (s.w.t) says, "Say (O Muhammad S.A.W): "It is not for me to change it on my own accord; I only follow that which is revealed unto me. Verily, I fear if I were to disobey my Lord, the torment of the Great Day (i.e. the Day of Resurrection)." [Surah Yunus 10:15]
Meaning the Prophet (s.a.w) has no authority to change the revelation in anyway, rather he is a servant who receives commands from his Lord.
4. To believe we must obey the Messengers by the Will of Allah (bi-idhnillah)
We sent no Messenger, but to be obeyed by Allah’s leave. [Surah An-Nisa 4:64]
Meaning, that obeying the Prophets and Messengers was ordained for those people to whom they were sent. Allah's statement, (By Allah's leave)
Means, "None shall obey, except by My leave,'' according to Mujahid, and this Ayah indicates that the Prophets are only obeyed in direct obedience to Allah (s.w.t). Allah (s.w.t) says,
And whatsoever the Messenger (Muhammad S.A.W) gives you, take it, and whatsoever he forbids you, abstain (from it), [Surah Al-Hashr 59:7]
But no, by your Lord, they can have no Faith, until they make you (O Muhammad S.A.W) judge in all disputes between them, and find in themselves no resistance against your decisions, and accept (them) with full submission. [Surah An-Nisa 4:65]
Other aspects to believing in the messengers
(i) Belief in their covenant with Allah (s.w.t)
And (remember) when Allah took the covenant of the Prophets, saying: "Take whatever I gave you from the Book and Hikmah (understanding of the Laws of Allah, etc.), and afterwards there will come to you a Messenger (Muhammad S.A.W) confirming what is with you; you must, then, believe in him and help him." Allah said: "Do you agree (to it) and will you take up My covenant (which I conclude with you)?" They said: "We agree." He said: "Then bear witness; and I am with you among the witnesses (for this)." [Surah Aali Imran 3:81]
`Ali bin Abi Talib and his cousin `Abdullah bin `Abbas said, "Allah never sent a Prophet but after taking his pledge that if Muhammad were sent in his lifetime, he would believe in and support him.'' [Tafsir Ibn Kathir]
(ii) The Prophets came with a universal message
And verily, We have sent among every Ummah (community, nation) a Messenger (proclaiming): "Worship Allah (alone), and avoid (or keep away from) Taghout [Surah An-Nahl 16:36]
Allah (s.w.t) continued sending Messengers to mankind with this Message, from the first incidence of Shirk that appeared among the Children of Adam (a.s), in the people to whom Nuh (a.s) was sent - the first Messenger sent by Allah (s.w.t) to the people of this earth - until He sent the final Messenger, Muhammad (s.a.w), whose call was addressed to both men and Jinn, in the East and in the West. All of the Messengers brought the same Message, as Allah (s.w.t) says, And We did not send any Messenger before you (O Muhammad) but We revealed to him (saying): None has the right to be worshipped but I (Allah), so worship Me (alone and none else).'' [Surah Al-Anbiya 21:25]
(iii) They spoke in the tongue of their people
And We sent not a Messenger except with the language of his people, in order that he might make (the Message) clear for them. [Surah Ibrahim 14:4]
(iv) They came as Warners
Verily! We have sent you with the truth, a bearer of glad tidings, and a Warner. And there never was a nation but a Warner had passed among them. [Surah Fatir 35:24]
(v) Every prophet had an enemy
And so We have appointed for every Prophet enemies - Shayateen (devils) among mankind and jinns. [Surah Al-An’am 6:112]
(vi) Allah (s.w.t) favored some Messengers over others
Those Messengers! We preferred some to others; to some of them Allah spoke (directly); others He raised to degrees (of honor); and to 'Isa (Jesus), the son of Maryam (Mary), We gave clear proofs and evidences, and supported him with Ruh-ul-Qudus [Jibril (Gabriel)]. [Surah Baqarah 2:253]
(vii) We do not differentiate between them
The Messenger (Muhammad) believes in what has been sent down to him from his Lord, and (so do) the believers. Each one believes in Allah, His Angels, His Books, and His Messengers. They say, "We make no distinction between one another of His Messengers" - and they say, "We hear, and we obey. (We seek) Your Forgiveness, our Lord, and to You is the return (of all)." [Surah Baqarah 2:285]
(viii) The Prophets are witness over their people
Thus We have made you leading nation, that you be witnesses over mankind and the Messenger (Muhammad) be a witness over you. [Surah Baqarah 2:143]
(ix) They don’t ask for reward from the people for their conveyance
Say: "No reward I ask of you for this (the Qur’an). It is only a reminder for the Alamin [Surah Al-An’am 6:90]
Thursday, December 31, 2009
Belief in the Prophets
http://www.islamreligion.com/articles/37/
Belief in certain prophets who God chose to relay His message to humans is a required article of Islamic faith.
“The Prophet (Muhammad) believes in what has been sent down to him from his Lord, and (so do) the believers. Each one believes in God, His Angels, His Books, and His Prophets. (They say,) ‘We make no distinction between one another of His prophets...’” (Quran 2:285)
God conveys His message and relates His will through human prophets. They form a link between the earthly beings and the heavens, in the sense that God has picked them to deliver His message to human beings. There are no other channels to receive divine communications. It is the system of communication between the Creator and the created. God does not send angels to every single individual, nor does He open the skies so people can climb up to receive the message. His way of communication is through human prophets who receive the message through angels.
To have faith in the prophets (or messengers) is to firmly believe that God chose morally upright men to bear His message and pass it to humanity. Blessed were those who followed them, and wretched were those who refused to obey. They faithfully delivered the message, without hiding, altering, or corrupting it. Rejecting a prophet is rejecting the One who sent him, and disobeying a prophet is disobeying the One who commanded to obey him.
God sent to every nation a prophet, mostly from amongst them, to call them to worship God alone and to shun false gods.
“And ask (O Muhammad) those of Our prophets whom We sent before you: ‘Did We ever appoint gods to be worshipped besides the Most Merciful (God)?’” (Quran 43:45)
Muslims believe in those prophets mentioned by name in Islamic sources, such as Adam, Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Ishmael, David, Solomon, Moses, Jesus, and Muhammad, may the mercy and blessings of God be upon him, to name a few. A general belief is held in those not mentioned by name, as God says: “And, indeed We have sent prophets before you (O Muhammad), of some of them We have related to you their story, and of some We have not related to you their story...” (Quran 40:78)
Muslims firmly believe the final prophet was the Prophet of Islam, Muhammad, and there will be no prophet or messenger after him.
To appreciate this fact, one must understand that the teachings of the last prophet are preserved in original language in their primary sources. There is no need for another prophet. In the case of earlier prophets, their scriptures were lost or their message was corrupted to the point that truth was hardly distinguishable from falsehood. The message of the Prophet Muhammad is clear and preserved and will remain so till the end of time.
The Purpose for Sending Prophets
We can identify the following main reasons for sending prophets:
(1) Guiding humanity from the worship of created beings to the worship of their Creator, from being in a state of servitude to the creation to the freedom of worshipping their Lord.
(2) Clarifying to humanity the purpose of creation: worshipping God and obeying His commands, as well as clarifying that this life is a test for each individual, a test of which its results will decide the type of life one will lead after death; a life of eternal misery or eternal bliss. There is no other definite way to find the true purpose of creation.
(3) Showing humanity the right path that will lead them to Paradise and to salvation from Hellfire.
(4) Establishing proof against humanity by sending prophets, so people will not have an excuse when they will be questioned on the Day of Judgment. They will not be able to claim ignorance to the purpose of their creation and life after death.
(5) Uncovering the unseen ‘world’ which exists beyond the normal senses and the physical universe, such as the knowledge of God, existence of angels, and the reality of the Day of Judgment.
(6) Providing human beings practical examples to lead moral, righteous, purpose-driven lives free of doubts and confusion. Innately, human beings admire fellow human beings, so the best examples of righteousness for humans to imitate are those of God’s prophets.
(7) Purifying the soul from materialism, sin, and heedlessness.
(8) Conveying to humanity the teachings of God, which is for their own benefit in this life and in the Hereafter.
Their Message
The single most important message of all prophets to their people was to worship God alone and none else and to follow His teachings. All of them, Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Ishmael, Moses, Aaron, David, Solomon, Jesus, Muhammad and others, in addition to those we do not know - invited people to worship God and shun false gods.
Moses declared: “Hear, O Israel The Lord our God is one Lord.” (Deuteronomy 6:4).
This was repeated 1500 years later by Jesus, when he said: “The first of all the commandments is, ‘Hear, O Israel; the Lord our God is one Lord.’” (Mark 12:29).
Finally, the call of Muhammad some 600 years later reverberated across the hills of Mecca: “And your God is One God: there is no god but He...” (Quran 2:163)
The Holy Quran states this fact clearly: “And We did not send any Messenger before you (O Muhammad) but We revealed to him (saying): ‘none has the right to be worshipped but I, so worship Me.’” (Quran 21:25)
The Message Bearers
God chose the best among humanity to deliver His message. Prophethood is not earned or acquired like higher education. God chooses whom He pleases for this purpose.
They were the best in morals and they were mentally and physically fit, protected by God from falling into cardinal, major sins. They did not err or commit mistakes in delivering the message. There were over one hundred thousand prophets sent to all mankind, to all nations and races, in all corners of the world. Some prophets were superior to others. The best among them were Noah, Abraham, Moses, Jesus, and Muhammad, may the mercy and blessings of God be upon him.
People went to extremes with the prophets. They were rejected and accused of being sorcerers, madmen, and liars. Others turned them into gods by giving them divine powers, or declared them to be His children, like what happened to Jesus.
In truth, they were fully human with no divine attributes or power. They were God’s worshipping slaves. They ate, drank, slept, and lived normal human lives. They did not have the power to make anyone accept their message or to forgive sins. Their knowledge of future was limited to what God revealed to them. They had no part in running the affairs of the universe.
Out of the Infinite Mercy and Love of God, He sent to humanity prophets, guiding them to that which is the best. He sent them as an example for humanity to follow, and if one does follow their example, they would live a life in accordance to the Will of God, earning His Love and Pleasure.
Belief in certain prophets who God chose to relay His message to humans is a required article of Islamic faith.
“The Prophet (Muhammad) believes in what has been sent down to him from his Lord, and (so do) the believers. Each one believes in God, His Angels, His Books, and His Prophets. (They say,) ‘We make no distinction between one another of His prophets...’” (Quran 2:285)
God conveys His message and relates His will through human prophets. They form a link between the earthly beings and the heavens, in the sense that God has picked them to deliver His message to human beings. There are no other channels to receive divine communications. It is the system of communication between the Creator and the created. God does not send angels to every single individual, nor does He open the skies so people can climb up to receive the message. His way of communication is through human prophets who receive the message through angels.
To have faith in the prophets (or messengers) is to firmly believe that God chose morally upright men to bear His message and pass it to humanity. Blessed were those who followed them, and wretched were those who refused to obey. They faithfully delivered the message, without hiding, altering, or corrupting it. Rejecting a prophet is rejecting the One who sent him, and disobeying a prophet is disobeying the One who commanded to obey him.
God sent to every nation a prophet, mostly from amongst them, to call them to worship God alone and to shun false gods.
“And ask (O Muhammad) those of Our prophets whom We sent before you: ‘Did We ever appoint gods to be worshipped besides the Most Merciful (God)?’” (Quran 43:45)
Muslims believe in those prophets mentioned by name in Islamic sources, such as Adam, Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Ishmael, David, Solomon, Moses, Jesus, and Muhammad, may the mercy and blessings of God be upon him, to name a few. A general belief is held in those not mentioned by name, as God says: “And, indeed We have sent prophets before you (O Muhammad), of some of them We have related to you their story, and of some We have not related to you their story...” (Quran 40:78)
Muslims firmly believe the final prophet was the Prophet of Islam, Muhammad, and there will be no prophet or messenger after him.
To appreciate this fact, one must understand that the teachings of the last prophet are preserved in original language in their primary sources. There is no need for another prophet. In the case of earlier prophets, their scriptures were lost or their message was corrupted to the point that truth was hardly distinguishable from falsehood. The message of the Prophet Muhammad is clear and preserved and will remain so till the end of time.
The Purpose for Sending Prophets
We can identify the following main reasons for sending prophets:
(1) Guiding humanity from the worship of created beings to the worship of their Creator, from being in a state of servitude to the creation to the freedom of worshipping their Lord.
(2) Clarifying to humanity the purpose of creation: worshipping God and obeying His commands, as well as clarifying that this life is a test for each individual, a test of which its results will decide the type of life one will lead after death; a life of eternal misery or eternal bliss. There is no other definite way to find the true purpose of creation.
(3) Showing humanity the right path that will lead them to Paradise and to salvation from Hellfire.
(4) Establishing proof against humanity by sending prophets, so people will not have an excuse when they will be questioned on the Day of Judgment. They will not be able to claim ignorance to the purpose of their creation and life after death.
(5) Uncovering the unseen ‘world’ which exists beyond the normal senses and the physical universe, such as the knowledge of God, existence of angels, and the reality of the Day of Judgment.
(6) Providing human beings practical examples to lead moral, righteous, purpose-driven lives free of doubts and confusion. Innately, human beings admire fellow human beings, so the best examples of righteousness for humans to imitate are those of God’s prophets.
(7) Purifying the soul from materialism, sin, and heedlessness.
(8) Conveying to humanity the teachings of God, which is for their own benefit in this life and in the Hereafter.
Their Message
The single most important message of all prophets to their people was to worship God alone and none else and to follow His teachings. All of them, Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Ishmael, Moses, Aaron, David, Solomon, Jesus, Muhammad and others, in addition to those we do not know - invited people to worship God and shun false gods.
Moses declared: “Hear, O Israel The Lord our God is one Lord.” (Deuteronomy 6:4).
This was repeated 1500 years later by Jesus, when he said: “The first of all the commandments is, ‘Hear, O Israel; the Lord our God is one Lord.’” (Mark 12:29).
Finally, the call of Muhammad some 600 years later reverberated across the hills of Mecca: “And your God is One God: there is no god but He...” (Quran 2:163)
The Holy Quran states this fact clearly: “And We did not send any Messenger before you (O Muhammad) but We revealed to him (saying): ‘none has the right to be worshipped but I, so worship Me.’” (Quran 21:25)
The Message Bearers
God chose the best among humanity to deliver His message. Prophethood is not earned or acquired like higher education. God chooses whom He pleases for this purpose.
They were the best in morals and they were mentally and physically fit, protected by God from falling into cardinal, major sins. They did not err or commit mistakes in delivering the message. There were over one hundred thousand prophets sent to all mankind, to all nations and races, in all corners of the world. Some prophets were superior to others. The best among them were Noah, Abraham, Moses, Jesus, and Muhammad, may the mercy and blessings of God be upon him.
People went to extremes with the prophets. They were rejected and accused of being sorcerers, madmen, and liars. Others turned them into gods by giving them divine powers, or declared them to be His children, like what happened to Jesus.
In truth, they were fully human with no divine attributes or power. They were God’s worshipping slaves. They ate, drank, slept, and lived normal human lives. They did not have the power to make anyone accept their message or to forgive sins. Their knowledge of future was limited to what God revealed to them. They had no part in running the affairs of the universe.
Out of the Infinite Mercy and Love of God, He sent to humanity prophets, guiding them to that which is the best. He sent them as an example for humanity to follow, and if one does follow their example, they would live a life in accordance to the Will of God, earning His Love and Pleasure.
Wednesday, December 30, 2009
The Belief in ar Rasul (the Messengers)
Ar-Rusul is the plural of Rasool which means Mursal: The one dispatched to proclaim something. What is intended (according to the Judicial meaning) is that ar-Rusul is the man who receives a Shar’a (a Divine code of law) and is commanded by Allaah to convey it. The first of ar-Rusul (the Messengers) is Nooh (alayhis-Salaam) and the last one is Muhammad (sal-Allaahu ‘alayhe wa sallam). Allaah (Ta’aalaa) said: “Verily, We have inspired you (O Muhammad sal-Allaahu ‘alayhe wa sallam) as We have inspired to Nooh and the Prophets after him.” [Qur’aan 4:136]
In Saheeh Al-Bukhaaree it is narrated on the authority of Anas bin Maalik (radhi-Allaahu anhu) in the hadeeth of ash-Shafaa’ah (the Intercession), the Prophet (sal-Allaahu ‘alayhe wa sallam) mentioned that (on the Day of Resurrection) people will go to Adam asking him to intercede for them with Allaah [1], he apologizes and says: “Go to Nooh, the first of Allaah’s Messengers to the people of the earth.”
Allaah (Ta’aalaa) said: “Muhammad is not the father of any man among you, but he is the Messenger of Allaah and the Last (end) of the Prophets.” [Qur’aan 33:40]
And there never was a nation without a Messenger whom Allaah (Ta’aalaa) sends with a particular Sharee’ah to his people, or without a Prophet receiving the revelation of the Sharee’ah of his predecessor in order to revive it. Allaah (Ta’aalaa) said: “And verily, We have sent among every Ummah (community, nation) a Messenger (proclaiming): ‘Worship Allaah (Alone), and avoid (or keep away from) Taaghoot.’ [2]” [Qur’aan 16:36]
He also said:
“There was no Ummah but a Warner had passed among them.” [Qur’aan 35:24]
“Verily, We did send down the Torah (to Moosaa), therein was guidance and light, by which the Prophets who submitted to Allaah’s Will, judged the Jews.” [Qur’aan 5:44]
The Messengers are created human beings who don’t have any of the characteristics of Ruboobiyyah or Uloohiyyah. Allaah spoke about his Prophet Muhammad (sal-Allaahu ‘alayhe wa sallam) who is the most noble of the Messengers and the highest amongst them in honor before Allaah: “Say (O Muhammad sal-Allaahu ‘alayhe wa sallam to the disbelievers): ‘I possess no power of benefit or hurt to myself except as Allaah Wills. If I had knowledge of the Ghayb, I should have secured for myself an abundance of wealth, and no evil should have touched me. I am but a Warner and a bringer of glad tidings to those who believe.’ ” [Qur’aan 7:188]
He (Ta’aalaa) also said (about the Prophet sal-Allaahu ‘alayhe wa sallam): “Say (O Muhammad sal-Allaahu ‘alayhe wa sallam): ‘It is not in my power to cause you harm, or to bring you to the Right Path.’ Say: ‘None can protect me from Allaah’s Punishment (if I were to disobey Him), nor should I find refuge except in Him.’ ” [Qur’aan 72:21-22]
Human qualities like illness, death, the need for food and drink, and so forth, affect them. Allaah (Ta’aalaa) said about Prophet Ibraaheem (alayhi-salaam) describing his ‘abd (Allaah): “It is He Who feeds me and gives me to drink. And when I am ill, it is He Who cures me; And Who will cause me to die.” [Qur’aan 26:79]
The Prophet (sal-Allaahu ‘alayhe wa sallam) said: “I am but a human being like you, and liable to forget like you. So, if I forget remind me.” [3]
In the context of praising the Messengers, Allaah described them as having Uloohiyyah [4] to Him in their highest ranks of standing, saying about Nooh: “Verily he (Nooh) was a grateful ‘abd” (slave-worshipper of Allaah Alone). [Qur’aan 17:3]
Allaah said about Muhammad (sal-Allaahu ‘alayhe wa sallam): “Blessed be He who sent down the criterion (the Qur’aan) to His ‘abd (Muhammad sal-Allaahu ‘alayhe wa sallam) that he may be a Warner to the ‘Aalameen (mankind and jinns).” [Qur’aan 25:1]
He said about Ibraaheem, Ishaaq and Ya’qoob (may Allaah’s Salaat and Salaam be upon them): “And remember ‘Ibaadana (Our slaves) Ibraaheem, Ishaaq, and Ya’qoob (Jacob), (all) owners of strength (in worshipping Us) and (also) of religious understanding. Verily, We did choose them by granting them (a good thing, - i.e.) the remembrance of the Daar.” [5] [Qur’aan 38:45-46]
Allaah spoke about ‘Eesaa bin Maryam (alayhi-salaam) that: “He (‘Eesaa) was not more than a slave (who worships Allaah alone). We granted Our Favor to him, and We made him an example to the Children of Israel (i.e. his creation without a father).” [Qur’aan 43:59]
The Belief in the Messengers Comprises of 4 Matters:
First: To believe that their Message is a true one from Allaah (Ta’aalaa). Therefore, whoever disbelieves in the Message of anyone of them then He disbelieves in all of them, as Allaah (Ta’aalaa) said: “The people of Nooh belied the Messengers.” [Qur’aan 26:105]
Allaah made them belie all the Messengers although there was not any Messenger besides Nooh when they belied him. Accordingly, the Christians who belied Prophet Muhammad (sal-Allaahu ‘alayhe wa sallam) and didn’t follow him, themselves belied the Messiah bin Maryam and consequently are not his followers, especially when he brought them the good news about Muhammad (sal-Allaahu ‘alayhe wa sallam). The glad tiding would not mean anything unless He (Muhammad sal-Allaahu ‘alayhe wa sallam) is a Messenger to them wherewith Allaah will save them from going astray and guide them to the Straight Path.
Second: To believe in those of them whose names we know, each according to his name: Example, Muhammad, Ibraaheem, Moosaa, ‘Eesaa, and Nooh, the Salaat and Salaam of Allaah be upon them. These five are the ‘Ulul ‘Azm mina ar-Rasul (the Messengers of strong will and steadfastness).
Allaah mentioned them in two places in the Qur’aan, in His saying (in Soorah Al-Ahzaab): “And (remember) when we took from the Prophets their covenant, and from you (O Muhammad sal-Allaahu ‘alayhe wa sallam), and from Nooh, Ibraaheem, Moosaa, and ‘Eesaa Ibn Maryam.” [Qur’aan 33:7]
and in His saying in Soorah Ash-Shoora: “He (Allaah) has ordained for you from the same Deen (Islaam) which He ordained for Nooh, and that which We have Inspired in you (O Muhammad sal-Allaahu ‘alayhe wa sallam) and that which We ordained for Ibraaheem, Moosaa, and ‘Eesaa saying you should establish the Deen and make no divisions in it.” [Qur’aan 42:13]
As regard to those of them whose names we don’t know, we believe in them on the whole (as true Messengers from Allaah). He (Ta’aalaa) said: “Indeed We have sent Messengers before you (O Muhammad sal-Allaahu ‘alayhe wa sallam): of them there are some whose story We have told you, and some whose story We have not told you.” [Qur’aan 40:78]
Third: To believe in what is authentically reported from their news.
Fourth: To act upon the Sharee’ah of the Messenger who is sent to us from amongst them, and he is Muhammad, the last (end) of the Messengers (and Prophets) who is sent to mankind. Allaah (Ta’aalaa) said: “But no, by your ‘abd, they can have no faith until they take you (Muhammad sal-Allaahu ‘alayhe wa sallam) as a judge in all disputes between them, and find in themselves no resistance against your decisions, and accept (them) with full submission.” [Qur’aan 4:65]
The Belief in the Messengers Yields Great Benefits, Including:
First: Acknowledging Allaah’s Mercy and concern towards His creation whereby He sent them the Messengers to guide them to His Straight Path and to clearly explain to them how to worship Him, because the human mind is independently unable to realize (how to worship Allaah).
Second: Giving thanks to Allaah (Ta’aalaa) on this great Favor (of sending His Messengers).
Third: Loving, magnifying and praising the Messengers in the manner that befits them since they are Allaah’s Messengers and because they worshipped Him, proclaimed His Message, and gave advice to His creation.
The obstinate belied their Messengers claiming that Allaah’s Messengers cannot be human in nature. Allaah mentioned this claim and invalidated it in His saying: “And nothing prevented men from believing when the guidance came to them, except that they said: ‘Has Allaah sent a man as (His) Messenger?’ Say: ‘If there were on earth, angels walking in peace and security, We should certainly have sent down for them from the heaven an angel as a Messenger.’” [Qur’aan 17:94:95]
Allaah thwarted their claim by asserting that a Messenger must be a man because he is being sent to the people of the earth who are humans. If the people of the earth were angels, Allaah would have sent them from the heaven an angel for a Messenger to be like them. Thus, Allaah told about those who belied the Messengers to have said: “You are no more than human beings like us! You wish to turn away from what our fathers used to worship. Then bring us a clear authority (i.e. a clear proof of what you say).” Their Messengers said to them: “We are no more than human beings like you, but Allaah bestows His Grace to whom He wills of His slaves. It is not for us to bring you an authority (proof) except by the Permission of Allaah.” [Qur’aan 14:10-11]
Footnotes:
[1] In the hadeeth, the Prophet (sal-Allaahu ‘alayhe wa sallam) describes the distress people will go through on the Day of Resurrection. They will go to Adam then to Nooh, Ibraaheem, ‘Eesaa, and then to Moosaa (alayhimus-salaam). They will decline, each according to his own reason. Moosaa (alayhis-salaam) will direct them to go to Muhammad (sal-Allaahu ‘alayhe wa sallam) and Allaah will permit him to intercede. See Saheeh Al-Bukhaaree, V.6, Hadeeth no. 236.
[2] Taaghoot: All forms of false deities. [TN]
[3] Reported by Bukhaaree and Muslim. See Saheeh Al-Bukhaaree, V.1, Hadeeth no. 394.
[4] As slaves of Allaah who submit, surrender, and devote worship to Him Alone. [TN]
[5] The home in the Hereafter. They used to make the people remember the Daar (home) in the Hereafter. They invited the people to obey Allaah and to do good deeds for the Hereafter.
Taken from Explaining The Fundamentals of Faith by Imaam Muhammad Ibn Saalih al-Uthaymeen translated by Dr. Saalih as-Saalih
In Saheeh Al-Bukhaaree it is narrated on the authority of Anas bin Maalik (radhi-Allaahu anhu) in the hadeeth of ash-Shafaa’ah (the Intercession), the Prophet (sal-Allaahu ‘alayhe wa sallam) mentioned that (on the Day of Resurrection) people will go to Adam asking him to intercede for them with Allaah [1], he apologizes and says: “Go to Nooh, the first of Allaah’s Messengers to the people of the earth.”
Allaah (Ta’aalaa) said: “Muhammad is not the father of any man among you, but he is the Messenger of Allaah and the Last (end) of the Prophets.” [Qur’aan 33:40]
And there never was a nation without a Messenger whom Allaah (Ta’aalaa) sends with a particular Sharee’ah to his people, or without a Prophet receiving the revelation of the Sharee’ah of his predecessor in order to revive it. Allaah (Ta’aalaa) said: “And verily, We have sent among every Ummah (community, nation) a Messenger (proclaiming): ‘Worship Allaah (Alone), and avoid (or keep away from) Taaghoot.’ [2]” [Qur’aan 16:36]
He also said:
“There was no Ummah but a Warner had passed among them.” [Qur’aan 35:24]
“Verily, We did send down the Torah (to Moosaa), therein was guidance and light, by which the Prophets who submitted to Allaah’s Will, judged the Jews.” [Qur’aan 5:44]
The Messengers are created human beings who don’t have any of the characteristics of Ruboobiyyah or Uloohiyyah. Allaah spoke about his Prophet Muhammad (sal-Allaahu ‘alayhe wa sallam) who is the most noble of the Messengers and the highest amongst them in honor before Allaah: “Say (O Muhammad sal-Allaahu ‘alayhe wa sallam to the disbelievers): ‘I possess no power of benefit or hurt to myself except as Allaah Wills. If I had knowledge of the Ghayb, I should have secured for myself an abundance of wealth, and no evil should have touched me. I am but a Warner and a bringer of glad tidings to those who believe.’ ” [Qur’aan 7:188]
He (Ta’aalaa) also said (about the Prophet sal-Allaahu ‘alayhe wa sallam): “Say (O Muhammad sal-Allaahu ‘alayhe wa sallam): ‘It is not in my power to cause you harm, or to bring you to the Right Path.’ Say: ‘None can protect me from Allaah’s Punishment (if I were to disobey Him), nor should I find refuge except in Him.’ ” [Qur’aan 72:21-22]
Human qualities like illness, death, the need for food and drink, and so forth, affect them. Allaah (Ta’aalaa) said about Prophet Ibraaheem (alayhi-salaam) describing his ‘abd (Allaah): “It is He Who feeds me and gives me to drink. And when I am ill, it is He Who cures me; And Who will cause me to die.” [Qur’aan 26:79]
The Prophet (sal-Allaahu ‘alayhe wa sallam) said: “I am but a human being like you, and liable to forget like you. So, if I forget remind me.” [3]
In the context of praising the Messengers, Allaah described them as having Uloohiyyah [4] to Him in their highest ranks of standing, saying about Nooh: “Verily he (Nooh) was a grateful ‘abd” (slave-worshipper of Allaah Alone). [Qur’aan 17:3]
Allaah said about Muhammad (sal-Allaahu ‘alayhe wa sallam): “Blessed be He who sent down the criterion (the Qur’aan) to His ‘abd (Muhammad sal-Allaahu ‘alayhe wa sallam) that he may be a Warner to the ‘Aalameen (mankind and jinns).” [Qur’aan 25:1]
He said about Ibraaheem, Ishaaq and Ya’qoob (may Allaah’s Salaat and Salaam be upon them): “And remember ‘Ibaadana (Our slaves) Ibraaheem, Ishaaq, and Ya’qoob (Jacob), (all) owners of strength (in worshipping Us) and (also) of religious understanding. Verily, We did choose them by granting them (a good thing, - i.e.) the remembrance of the Daar.” [5] [Qur’aan 38:45-46]
Allaah spoke about ‘Eesaa bin Maryam (alayhi-salaam) that: “He (‘Eesaa) was not more than a slave (who worships Allaah alone). We granted Our Favor to him, and We made him an example to the Children of Israel (i.e. his creation without a father).” [Qur’aan 43:59]
The Belief in the Messengers Comprises of 4 Matters:
First: To believe that their Message is a true one from Allaah (Ta’aalaa). Therefore, whoever disbelieves in the Message of anyone of them then He disbelieves in all of them, as Allaah (Ta’aalaa) said: “The people of Nooh belied the Messengers.” [Qur’aan 26:105]
Allaah made them belie all the Messengers although there was not any Messenger besides Nooh when they belied him. Accordingly, the Christians who belied Prophet Muhammad (sal-Allaahu ‘alayhe wa sallam) and didn’t follow him, themselves belied the Messiah bin Maryam and consequently are not his followers, especially when he brought them the good news about Muhammad (sal-Allaahu ‘alayhe wa sallam). The glad tiding would not mean anything unless He (Muhammad sal-Allaahu ‘alayhe wa sallam) is a Messenger to them wherewith Allaah will save them from going astray and guide them to the Straight Path.
Second: To believe in those of them whose names we know, each according to his name: Example, Muhammad, Ibraaheem, Moosaa, ‘Eesaa, and Nooh, the Salaat and Salaam of Allaah be upon them. These five are the ‘Ulul ‘Azm mina ar-Rasul (the Messengers of strong will and steadfastness).
Allaah mentioned them in two places in the Qur’aan, in His saying (in Soorah Al-Ahzaab): “And (remember) when we took from the Prophets their covenant, and from you (O Muhammad sal-Allaahu ‘alayhe wa sallam), and from Nooh, Ibraaheem, Moosaa, and ‘Eesaa Ibn Maryam.” [Qur’aan 33:7]
and in His saying in Soorah Ash-Shoora: “He (Allaah) has ordained for you from the same Deen (Islaam) which He ordained for Nooh, and that which We have Inspired in you (O Muhammad sal-Allaahu ‘alayhe wa sallam) and that which We ordained for Ibraaheem, Moosaa, and ‘Eesaa saying you should establish the Deen and make no divisions in it.” [Qur’aan 42:13]
As regard to those of them whose names we don’t know, we believe in them on the whole (as true Messengers from Allaah). He (Ta’aalaa) said: “Indeed We have sent Messengers before you (O Muhammad sal-Allaahu ‘alayhe wa sallam): of them there are some whose story We have told you, and some whose story We have not told you.” [Qur’aan 40:78]
Third: To believe in what is authentically reported from their news.
Fourth: To act upon the Sharee’ah of the Messenger who is sent to us from amongst them, and he is Muhammad, the last (end) of the Messengers (and Prophets) who is sent to mankind. Allaah (Ta’aalaa) said: “But no, by your ‘abd, they can have no faith until they take you (Muhammad sal-Allaahu ‘alayhe wa sallam) as a judge in all disputes between them, and find in themselves no resistance against your decisions, and accept (them) with full submission.” [Qur’aan 4:65]
The Belief in the Messengers Yields Great Benefits, Including:
First: Acknowledging Allaah’s Mercy and concern towards His creation whereby He sent them the Messengers to guide them to His Straight Path and to clearly explain to them how to worship Him, because the human mind is independently unable to realize (how to worship Allaah).
Second: Giving thanks to Allaah (Ta’aalaa) on this great Favor (of sending His Messengers).
Third: Loving, magnifying and praising the Messengers in the manner that befits them since they are Allaah’s Messengers and because they worshipped Him, proclaimed His Message, and gave advice to His creation.
The obstinate belied their Messengers claiming that Allaah’s Messengers cannot be human in nature. Allaah mentioned this claim and invalidated it in His saying: “And nothing prevented men from believing when the guidance came to them, except that they said: ‘Has Allaah sent a man as (His) Messenger?’ Say: ‘If there were on earth, angels walking in peace and security, We should certainly have sent down for them from the heaven an angel as a Messenger.’” [Qur’aan 17:94:95]
Allaah thwarted their claim by asserting that a Messenger must be a man because he is being sent to the people of the earth who are humans. If the people of the earth were angels, Allaah would have sent them from the heaven an angel for a Messenger to be like them. Thus, Allaah told about those who belied the Messengers to have said: “You are no more than human beings like us! You wish to turn away from what our fathers used to worship. Then bring us a clear authority (i.e. a clear proof of what you say).” Their Messengers said to them: “We are no more than human beings like you, but Allaah bestows His Grace to whom He wills of His slaves. It is not for us to bring you an authority (proof) except by the Permission of Allaah.” [Qur’aan 14:10-11]
Footnotes:
[1] In the hadeeth, the Prophet (sal-Allaahu ‘alayhe wa sallam) describes the distress people will go through on the Day of Resurrection. They will go to Adam then to Nooh, Ibraaheem, ‘Eesaa, and then to Moosaa (alayhimus-salaam). They will decline, each according to his own reason. Moosaa (alayhis-salaam) will direct them to go to Muhammad (sal-Allaahu ‘alayhe wa sallam) and Allaah will permit him to intercede. See Saheeh Al-Bukhaaree, V.6, Hadeeth no. 236.
[2] Taaghoot: All forms of false deities. [TN]
[3] Reported by Bukhaaree and Muslim. See Saheeh Al-Bukhaaree, V.1, Hadeeth no. 394.
[4] As slaves of Allaah who submit, surrender, and devote worship to Him Alone. [TN]
[5] The home in the Hereafter. They used to make the people remember the Daar (home) in the Hereafter. They invited the people to obey Allaah and to do good deeds for the Hereafter.
Taken from Explaining The Fundamentals of Faith by Imaam Muhammad Ibn Saalih al-Uthaymeen translated by Dr. Saalih as-Saalih
Who is Muhammad (peace be upon him)? (IISNA pamphlet)
“Indeed in the Messenger of Allah you have an excellent example to follow for whoever hopes in Allah and the Last Day and remembers Allah much.” Qur’an 33:21
Muslims believe that Muhammad (peace be upon him) is the final Prophet in a long chain of Prophets sent to call the people to the obedience and worship of God alone (‘Allah’ in Arabic). Some of these Prophets include Adam, Noah, Abraham, Ishmael, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Moses, David, Solomon and Jesus (peace be upon them all).
Just as Moses (peace be upon him) was sent with the Torah (the original uncorrupted revelation sent to Moses) and Jesus (peace be upon him) with the Gospel (the original, uncorrupted revelation - not the present-day versions), Muslims believe that Muhammad (peace be upon him) was sent with the Qur’an to demonstrate how its teachings should be applied.
The Prophet’s (peace be upon him) wife, ‘A’isha, was once asked to describe the Prophet (peace be upon him), and she replied that he was ‘the Qur’an walking’, meaning he meticulously implemented the noble teachings of the Qur’an into his daily life. We will demonstrate how he translated these noble teachings into noble actions.
Mission of Mercy
“And We (God) have not sent you (Muhammad) except as a mercy for mankind.” Qur’an 21:107
As well as calling people to pray, fast and give charity, the Prophet (peace be upon him) taught that one’s faith in God should also affect one’s treatment of others. He said: “The best of you are they who have the best character.”
Many sayings of the Prophet (peace be upon him) emphasize the relationship between belief and action, for example: “Whoever believes in Allah and the Last Day, should not hurt his neighbor, and whoever believes in Allah and the Last Day, should serve his guest generously, and whoever believes in Allah and the Last Day, should speak what is good or keep quiet.”
The final Messenger (peace be upon him) taught humans to show mercy and to respect each other: “He who does not show mercy to others, will not be shown mercy.”
In another narration, some people requested the Prophet (peace be upon him) to invoke God to punish the disbelievers but he replied: “I have not been sent as one to curse but as a mercy.”
Forgiveness
“Let them forgive and overlook: do you not wish that Allah should forgive you? For Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.” Qur’an 24:22
The Prophet (peace be upon him) was the most forgiving of all people and the kindest. If someone abused him, he would forgive him, and the harsher a person was, the more patient he would become. He was extremely lenient and forgiving, especially when he had the upper hand and the power to retaliate.
Muhammad (peace be upon him) was all for forgiveness and no amount of crime or aggression against him was too great to be forgiven by him. He was the best example of forgiveness and kindness, as mentioned in the following verse of the Qur'an: "Keep to forgiveness (O Muhammad), and enjoin kindness, and turn away from the ignorant." (Al-Qur'an 7:199)
Equality
“Indeed the most honored of you in the sight of Allah is the most righteous of you.” Qur’an 49:13
In the following sayings of the Prophet (peace be upon him), he taught that all humans are equal in the sight of God:
“All humanity is from Adam and Adam is from clay. There is no superiority for an Arab over a non-Arab, nor for a black over a white; except through piety.”
“God does not judge you according to your appearance and your wealth, but He looks at your hearts and looks into your deeds.”
It is related that once a companion of the Prophet (peace be upon him) called another companion in an offensive way, “Son of a black woman!” The Prophet (peace be upon him), became angry and replied, “Do you condemn him because of the blackness of his mother? You still have within you traces of ignorance from the pre-Islamic period.”
Tolerance
“Good deeds and evil deeds are not equal. Repel evil with what is best, then he with whom you had enmity shall become as a loyal friend.” Qur’an 41:34
“You should not do evil to those who do evil to you, but you should deal with them with forgiveness and kindness.” This is how the final Messenger of God (peace be upon him) reacted to personal attacks and abuse.
Islamic sources include a number of instances where the Prophet (peace be upon him) had the opportunity to take revenge upon those who wronged him, but refrained from doing so.
He taught man to exercise patience in the face of adversity: “The strong is not the one who overcomes people by his strength, but the strong is the one who controls himself while in anger.”
Practicing patience and tolerance does not mean that a Muslim should be a pacifist and not defend himself in case of attack. Prophet Mohammad (peace be upon him) stated that, “Do not wish to meet the enemy, but when you meet (face) the enemy, be patient (i.e. stand firm when facing the enemy).”
Gentleness
“By the grace of Allah, you are gentle towards the people; if you had been harsh and hard-hearted, they would have dispersed from around you.” Qur’an 3:159
A companion who served Muhammad (peace be upon him) for ten years said that Muhammad (peace be upon him) was always gentle in his dealings with him. “When I did something, he never questioned my manner of doing it; and when I did not do something, he never questioned my failure to do it. He was the friendliest of all men.”
On one occasion, the wife of the Prophet (peace be upon him) reacted angrily after being insulted by a person.
The Prophet (peace be upon him) advised her: “Be gentle and calm, O ‘Aisha, as Allah likes gentleness in all affairs.”
He also said: “Show gentleness! For if gentleness is found in something, it beautifies it, and when it is taken out from anything, it makes it deficient.”
Humbleness
“And the servants of the Most Gracious (God) are those who walk on the earth in humbleness, and when the ignorant address them, they say: ‘Peace.’” Qur’an 25:63
The Prophet (peace be upon him) used to prevent people from standing up for him out of respect. He used to sit wherever there was a place available in an assembly and never sought a prominent or elevated place. He never wore anything to distinguish himself from his companions or appear in higher rank than them. He used to mix with the poor and the needy; he used to sit with the elderly and support the widows. People who did not know him could not tell him apart from the rest of the crowd.
Addressing his companions, he said: “Allah has revealed to me, that you must be humble. No one should boast over one another, and no one should oppress another.”
Such was his humbleness that he was fearful of being worshipped, a privilege only befitting God: “Do not exceed bounds in praising me as the Christians do in praising Jesus, son of Mary. I am only the Lord’s servant; then call me the Servant of Allah and His Messenger.”
The Ideal Husband
“And live with them (your spouses) in kindness.” Qur’an 4:19
The Prophet’s beloved wife, Aa’isha, said of her noble husband: “He always helped with the housework and would at times mend his clothes, repair his shoes and sweep the floor. He would milk, protect and feed his animals and do household chores.”
Not only was he a devoted husband, he also encouraged his companions to follow his example: “The most perfect of the believers in faith are the best of them in morals. And the best among them are those who are best to their wives.”
The Ideal Example
“Indeed you (O Muhammad) are on an exalted standard of character.” Qur’an 68:4
What has preceded is only a glimpse of how Muhammad (peace be upon him) lived his life. The examples of kindness and mercy mentioned may come as a surprise to some people given the portrayal of Islam in the media and its constant misrepresentation.
It is important when trying to understand Islam that one goes directly to its sources: The Qur’an, and the sayings and actions of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), and that anyone does not judge Islam based on the errant actions of a few Muslims.
Comments from Non-Muslims
Mahatma K Gandhi, a major political and spiritual leader of the Indian independence movement, remarked: “It was the rigid simplicity, the utter self-effacement of the Prophet, the scrupulous regard for his pledges, his intense devotion to his friends and followers, his intrepidity, his fearlessness, his absolute trust in God and in his own mission. These and not the sword carried everything before them and surmounted every obstacle.”
George Bernard Shaw, the British playwright, declared: “The world is in dire need of a man with the mind of Muhammad; religious people in the Middle Ages, due to their ignorance and prejudice, had pictured him in a very dark way as they used to consider him the enemy of Christianity. But after looking into the story of this man I found it to be an amazing and a miraculous one, and I came to the conclusion that he was never an enemy of Christianity, and must be called instead the savior of humanity. In my opinion, if he was to be given control over the world today, he would solve our problems and secure the peace and happiness which the world is longing for.”
Muslims believe that Muhammad (peace be upon him) is the final Prophet in a long chain of Prophets sent to call the people to the obedience and worship of God alone (‘Allah’ in Arabic). Some of these Prophets include Adam, Noah, Abraham, Ishmael, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Moses, David, Solomon and Jesus (peace be upon them all).
Just as Moses (peace be upon him) was sent with the Torah (the original uncorrupted revelation sent to Moses) and Jesus (peace be upon him) with the Gospel (the original, uncorrupted revelation - not the present-day versions), Muslims believe that Muhammad (peace be upon him) was sent with the Qur’an to demonstrate how its teachings should be applied.
The Prophet’s (peace be upon him) wife, ‘A’isha, was once asked to describe the Prophet (peace be upon him), and she replied that he was ‘the Qur’an walking’, meaning he meticulously implemented the noble teachings of the Qur’an into his daily life. We will demonstrate how he translated these noble teachings into noble actions.
Mission of Mercy
“And We (God) have not sent you (Muhammad) except as a mercy for mankind.” Qur’an 21:107
As well as calling people to pray, fast and give charity, the Prophet (peace be upon him) taught that one’s faith in God should also affect one’s treatment of others. He said: “The best of you are they who have the best character.”
Many sayings of the Prophet (peace be upon him) emphasize the relationship between belief and action, for example: “Whoever believes in Allah and the Last Day, should not hurt his neighbor, and whoever believes in Allah and the Last Day, should serve his guest generously, and whoever believes in Allah and the Last Day, should speak what is good or keep quiet.”
The final Messenger (peace be upon him) taught humans to show mercy and to respect each other: “He who does not show mercy to others, will not be shown mercy.”
In another narration, some people requested the Prophet (peace be upon him) to invoke God to punish the disbelievers but he replied: “I have not been sent as one to curse but as a mercy.”
Forgiveness
“Let them forgive and overlook: do you not wish that Allah should forgive you? For Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.” Qur’an 24:22
The Prophet (peace be upon him) was the most forgiving of all people and the kindest. If someone abused him, he would forgive him, and the harsher a person was, the more patient he would become. He was extremely lenient and forgiving, especially when he had the upper hand and the power to retaliate.
Muhammad (peace be upon him) was all for forgiveness and no amount of crime or aggression against him was too great to be forgiven by him. He was the best example of forgiveness and kindness, as mentioned in the following verse of the Qur'an: "Keep to forgiveness (O Muhammad), and enjoin kindness, and turn away from the ignorant." (Al-Qur'an 7:199)
Equality
“Indeed the most honored of you in the sight of Allah is the most righteous of you.” Qur’an 49:13
In the following sayings of the Prophet (peace be upon him), he taught that all humans are equal in the sight of God:
“All humanity is from Adam and Adam is from clay. There is no superiority for an Arab over a non-Arab, nor for a black over a white; except through piety.”
“God does not judge you according to your appearance and your wealth, but He looks at your hearts and looks into your deeds.”
It is related that once a companion of the Prophet (peace be upon him) called another companion in an offensive way, “Son of a black woman!” The Prophet (peace be upon him), became angry and replied, “Do you condemn him because of the blackness of his mother? You still have within you traces of ignorance from the pre-Islamic period.”
Tolerance
“Good deeds and evil deeds are not equal. Repel evil with what is best, then he with whom you had enmity shall become as a loyal friend.” Qur’an 41:34
“You should not do evil to those who do evil to you, but you should deal with them with forgiveness and kindness.” This is how the final Messenger of God (peace be upon him) reacted to personal attacks and abuse.
Islamic sources include a number of instances where the Prophet (peace be upon him) had the opportunity to take revenge upon those who wronged him, but refrained from doing so.
He taught man to exercise patience in the face of adversity: “The strong is not the one who overcomes people by his strength, but the strong is the one who controls himself while in anger.”
Practicing patience and tolerance does not mean that a Muslim should be a pacifist and not defend himself in case of attack. Prophet Mohammad (peace be upon him) stated that, “Do not wish to meet the enemy, but when you meet (face) the enemy, be patient (i.e. stand firm when facing the enemy).”
Gentleness
“By the grace of Allah, you are gentle towards the people; if you had been harsh and hard-hearted, they would have dispersed from around you.” Qur’an 3:159
A companion who served Muhammad (peace be upon him) for ten years said that Muhammad (peace be upon him) was always gentle in his dealings with him. “When I did something, he never questioned my manner of doing it; and when I did not do something, he never questioned my failure to do it. He was the friendliest of all men.”
On one occasion, the wife of the Prophet (peace be upon him) reacted angrily after being insulted by a person.
The Prophet (peace be upon him) advised her: “Be gentle and calm, O ‘Aisha, as Allah likes gentleness in all affairs.”
He also said: “Show gentleness! For if gentleness is found in something, it beautifies it, and when it is taken out from anything, it makes it deficient.”
Humbleness
“And the servants of the Most Gracious (God) are those who walk on the earth in humbleness, and when the ignorant address them, they say: ‘Peace.’” Qur’an 25:63
The Prophet (peace be upon him) used to prevent people from standing up for him out of respect. He used to sit wherever there was a place available in an assembly and never sought a prominent or elevated place. He never wore anything to distinguish himself from his companions or appear in higher rank than them. He used to mix with the poor and the needy; he used to sit with the elderly and support the widows. People who did not know him could not tell him apart from the rest of the crowd.
Addressing his companions, he said: “Allah has revealed to me, that you must be humble. No one should boast over one another, and no one should oppress another.”
Such was his humbleness that he was fearful of being worshipped, a privilege only befitting God: “Do not exceed bounds in praising me as the Christians do in praising Jesus, son of Mary. I am only the Lord’s servant; then call me the Servant of Allah and His Messenger.”
The Ideal Husband
“And live with them (your spouses) in kindness.” Qur’an 4:19
The Prophet’s beloved wife, Aa’isha, said of her noble husband: “He always helped with the housework and would at times mend his clothes, repair his shoes and sweep the floor. He would milk, protect and feed his animals and do household chores.”
Not only was he a devoted husband, he also encouraged his companions to follow his example: “The most perfect of the believers in faith are the best of them in morals. And the best among them are those who are best to their wives.”
The Ideal Example
“Indeed you (O Muhammad) are on an exalted standard of character.” Qur’an 68:4
What has preceded is only a glimpse of how Muhammad (peace be upon him) lived his life. The examples of kindness and mercy mentioned may come as a surprise to some people given the portrayal of Islam in the media and its constant misrepresentation.
It is important when trying to understand Islam that one goes directly to its sources: The Qur’an, and the sayings and actions of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), and that anyone does not judge Islam based on the errant actions of a few Muslims.
Comments from Non-Muslims
Mahatma K Gandhi, a major political and spiritual leader of the Indian independence movement, remarked: “It was the rigid simplicity, the utter self-effacement of the Prophet, the scrupulous regard for his pledges, his intense devotion to his friends and followers, his intrepidity, his fearlessness, his absolute trust in God and in his own mission. These and not the sword carried everything before them and surmounted every obstacle.”
George Bernard Shaw, the British playwright, declared: “The world is in dire need of a man with the mind of Muhammad; religious people in the Middle Ages, due to their ignorance and prejudice, had pictured him in a very dark way as they used to consider him the enemy of Christianity. But after looking into the story of this man I found it to be an amazing and a miraculous one, and I came to the conclusion that he was never an enemy of Christianity, and must be called instead the savior of humanity. In my opinion, if he was to be given control over the world today, he would solve our problems and secure the peace and happiness which the world is longing for.”
Tuesday, December 29, 2009
Prophethood in Islam (III&E brochure)
Prophethood is not unknown to heavenly revealed religions, such as Judaism and Christianity. In Islam, however, it has a special status and significance.
According to Islam, Allah created man for a noble purpose: to worship Him and lead a virtuous life based on His teachings and guidance. How would man know his role and the purpose of his existence unless he received clear and practical instructions of what Allah wants him to do? Here comes the need for prophethood. Thus Allah has chosen from every nation at least one prophet to convey His message to people.
One might ask, how were the prophets chosen and who were entitled to this great honor?
Prophethood is Allah's blessing and favor that He may bestow on whom He wills. However, from surveying the various messengers throughout history, three features of a prophet may be recognized:
1. He is the best in his community morally and intellectually. This is necessary because a prophet's life serves as a role model for his followers. His personality should attract people to accept his message rather than drive them away by his imperfect character. After receiving the message, he is infallible. That is, he would not commit any sin. He might make some minor mistakes, which are usually corrected by revelation.
2. He is supported by miracles to prove that he is not an imposter. Those miracles are granted by the power and permission of God and are usually in the field in which his people excel and are recognized as superior. We might illustrate this by quoting the major miracles of the three prophets of the major world religions, Judaism, Christianity and Islam.
Moses' contemporaries were excellent in magic, so his major miracle was to defeat the best magicians of Egypt of his day. Jesus' contemporaries were recognized as skilled physicians, therefore, his miracles were to raise the dead and cure incurable diseases. The Arabs, the contemporaries of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), were known for their eloquence and magnificent poetry. So Prophet Muhammad's major miracle was the Qur'an, the equivalent of which the whole legion of Arab poets and orators could not produce, despite the repeated challenge from the Qur'an itself. Again, Muhammad's miracle has something special about it. All previous miracles were limited by time and place; that is, they were shown to specific people at a specific time. Not so with the miracle of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), the Qur'an. It is a universal and everlasting miracle. Previous generations witnessed it and future generations will witness its miraculous nature in terms of its style, content and spiritual uplifting. These can still be tested and will thereby prove the divine origin of the Qur'an.
3. Every prophet states clearly that what he receives is not of his own, but from God for the well-being of mankind. He also confirms what was revealed before him and what may be revealed after him. A prophet does this to show that he is simply conveying the message that is entrusted to him by the One True God of all people in all ages. So the message is one in essence and for the same purpose. Therefore, it should not deviate from what was revealed before him or what might come after him.
Prophets are necessary for conveying God's instructions and guidance to mankind. We have no way of knowing why we were created. What will happen to us after death? Is there any life after death? Are we accountable for our actions? These and so many other questions about God, angels, paradise, hell, and more, cannot be answered without direct revelation from the Creator and Knower of the unseen. Those answers must be authentic and must be brought by individuals whom we trust and respect. That is why messengers are the elite of their societies in terms of moral conduct and intellectual ability.
Hence, the slanderous Biblical stories about some of the great prophets are not accepted by Muslims. For example, Lot is reported to have committed incestuous fornication while drunk. David is alleged to have sent one of his leaders to his death in order to marry his wife. Prophets, to Muslims, are greater than what these stories indicate. These stories cannot be true from the Islamic point of view.
The prophets are also miraculously supported by God and instructed by Him to affirm the continuity of the message. The content of the prophets' message to mankind can be summarized as follows:
a) Clear concept of God: His attributes, His creation, what should and should not be ascribed to Him.
b) Clear idea about the unseen world, the angels, jinn (spirits), Paradise and Hell.
c) Why God has created us, what He wants from us and what rewards and punishments are for obedience and disobedience.
d) How to run our societies according to His will. That is, clear instructions and laws that, when applied correctly and honestly, will result in a smoothly functioning, harmonious society.
It is clear from the above discussion that there is no substitute for prophets. Even today with the advancement of science, the only authentic source of information about the supernatural world is revelation. Guidance can be obtained neither from science nor from mystic experience. The first is too materialistic and limited; the second is too subjective and frequently misleading.
Now one might ask:
How many prophets has God sent to humanity? We do not know for sure. Some Muslim scholars have suggested 240,000 prophets. We are only sure of what is clearly mentioned in the Qur'an, that God has sent a messenger to every nation. That is because it is one of God's principles that He will never call a people to account unless He has made clear to them what to do and what not to do. The Qur'an mentions the names of 25 prophets and indicates that there have been others who were not mentioned to Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). These 25 include Noah, Abraham, Moses, Jesus, and Muhammad (peace be upon them all). These five are the greatest among God's messengers. They are called 'the resolute' prophets.
An outstanding aspect of the Islamic belief in prophethood is that Muslims believe in and respect all the messengers of God with no exceptions. All the prophets came from the same One God, for the same purpose: to lead mankind to God. Hence, belief in them all is essential and logical; accepting some and rejecting others has to be based on misconceptions of the prophet's role or on a racial bias. The Muslims are the only people in the world who consider the belief in all the prophets an article of faith. Thus the Jews reject Jesus and Muhammad (peace be upon them), and the Christians reject Muhammad (peace be upon him). The Muslims accept them all as messengers of God who brought guidance to mankind. However, the revelations which those prophets before Muhammad (peace be upon him) brought from God has been tampered with in one way or another.
The belief in all the prophets of God is enjoined upon the Muslims in the Qur'an: Say (O Muslims): We believe in Allah and that which is revealed to us and that which was revealed to Abraham and Ishmael, and Isaac and Jacob, and their children, and that which Moses and Jesus received and that the prophets received from their Lord. We make no distinction between any of them and unto Him we have surrendered. (2:136)
The Qur'an continues in the following verses to instruct the Muslims that this is the true and impartial belief. If other nations believe in the same, they are following in the right track. If they do not, they must be following their own whims and biases and God will take care of them. Thus we read: And if they believe in what you believe, then they are rightly guided. But if they turn away, then they are in disunity, and Allah will suffice you against them. He is the Hearer, the Knower. This is God's religion and who is better than God in religion? (2:137-138)
There are, at least, two important points related to prophethood that need to be clarified. These points concern the roles of Jesus and Muhammad (peace be upon them) as prophets, who are usually misunderstood.
The Qur'anic account of Jesus emphatically rejects the concept of his 'divinity' and 'divine sonship' and presents him as one of the great prophets of God. The Qur'an makes it clear that the birth of Jesus without a father does not make him the son of God and mentions, in this respect, Adam, who was created by God without a father or mother.
Truly, the likeness of Jesus, in God's sight, is as Adam's likeness; He created him of dust, them said He unto him "Be", and he was. (3:59)
Like other prophets, Jesus also performed miracles. For example, he raised the dead and cured the blind and lepers, but while showing these miracles, he always made it clear that it was all from God. Actually, the misconceptions about the personality and mission of Jesus (peace be upon him) found a way among his followers because the Divine message he preached was not recorded during his presence in the world. Rather, it was recorded after a lapse of about one hundred years. According to the Qur'an, he was sent to the children of Israel; he confirmed the validity of the Torah, which was revealed to Moses (peace be upon him), and he also brought the glad tidings of a final messenger after him.
And when Jesus son of Mary said, "Children of Israel. I am indeed the messenger to you, confirming the Torah that is before me, and giving good tidings of a Messenger who shall come after me, whose name shall be the praised one. (61:6)
(The "praised one" is the translation of "Ahmad", which is Prophet Muhammad's name.)
However, the majority of the Jews rejected his ministry. They plotted against his life and in their opinion, crucified him. But the Qur'an refutes this opinion and says that they neither killed him nor crucified him; rather, he was raised up to God. There is a verse in the Qur'an which implies that Jesus will come back and all the Christians and Jews will believe in him before he dies. This is also supported by authentic sayings of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him).
The last prophet of God, Muhammad, was born in Arabia in the sixth century C.E. Up to the age of forty, people of Makkah knew him only as a man of excellent character and cultured manners and called him Al-Ameen (the trustworthy). He also did not know that he was soon to be made a prophet and receiver of revelation from God. He called the idolaters of Makkah to worship the one and only God and accept him (Muhammad, peace be upon him) as His prophet. The revelation that he received was preserved in his lifetime in the memory of his companions and was also recorded on pieces of palm leaf, leather, etc. Thus the Qur'an that is found today is the same that was revealed to him, not a syllable of it has been altered, as God Himself has guaranteed its preservation. This Qur'an claims to be the book of guidance for all of humanity for all times, and mentions Muhammad (peace e upon him) as the last Prophet of God.
According to Islam, Allah created man for a noble purpose: to worship Him and lead a virtuous life based on His teachings and guidance. How would man know his role and the purpose of his existence unless he received clear and practical instructions of what Allah wants him to do? Here comes the need for prophethood. Thus Allah has chosen from every nation at least one prophet to convey His message to people.
One might ask, how were the prophets chosen and who were entitled to this great honor?
Prophethood is Allah's blessing and favor that He may bestow on whom He wills. However, from surveying the various messengers throughout history, three features of a prophet may be recognized:
1. He is the best in his community morally and intellectually. This is necessary because a prophet's life serves as a role model for his followers. His personality should attract people to accept his message rather than drive them away by his imperfect character. After receiving the message, he is infallible. That is, he would not commit any sin. He might make some minor mistakes, which are usually corrected by revelation.
2. He is supported by miracles to prove that he is not an imposter. Those miracles are granted by the power and permission of God and are usually in the field in which his people excel and are recognized as superior. We might illustrate this by quoting the major miracles of the three prophets of the major world religions, Judaism, Christianity and Islam.
Moses' contemporaries were excellent in magic, so his major miracle was to defeat the best magicians of Egypt of his day. Jesus' contemporaries were recognized as skilled physicians, therefore, his miracles were to raise the dead and cure incurable diseases. The Arabs, the contemporaries of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), were known for their eloquence and magnificent poetry. So Prophet Muhammad's major miracle was the Qur'an, the equivalent of which the whole legion of Arab poets and orators could not produce, despite the repeated challenge from the Qur'an itself. Again, Muhammad's miracle has something special about it. All previous miracles were limited by time and place; that is, they were shown to specific people at a specific time. Not so with the miracle of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), the Qur'an. It is a universal and everlasting miracle. Previous generations witnessed it and future generations will witness its miraculous nature in terms of its style, content and spiritual uplifting. These can still be tested and will thereby prove the divine origin of the Qur'an.
3. Every prophet states clearly that what he receives is not of his own, but from God for the well-being of mankind. He also confirms what was revealed before him and what may be revealed after him. A prophet does this to show that he is simply conveying the message that is entrusted to him by the One True God of all people in all ages. So the message is one in essence and for the same purpose. Therefore, it should not deviate from what was revealed before him or what might come after him.
Prophets are necessary for conveying God's instructions and guidance to mankind. We have no way of knowing why we were created. What will happen to us after death? Is there any life after death? Are we accountable for our actions? These and so many other questions about God, angels, paradise, hell, and more, cannot be answered without direct revelation from the Creator and Knower of the unseen. Those answers must be authentic and must be brought by individuals whom we trust and respect. That is why messengers are the elite of their societies in terms of moral conduct and intellectual ability.
Hence, the slanderous Biblical stories about some of the great prophets are not accepted by Muslims. For example, Lot is reported to have committed incestuous fornication while drunk. David is alleged to have sent one of his leaders to his death in order to marry his wife. Prophets, to Muslims, are greater than what these stories indicate. These stories cannot be true from the Islamic point of view.
The prophets are also miraculously supported by God and instructed by Him to affirm the continuity of the message. The content of the prophets' message to mankind can be summarized as follows:
a) Clear concept of God: His attributes, His creation, what should and should not be ascribed to Him.
b) Clear idea about the unseen world, the angels, jinn (spirits), Paradise and Hell.
c) Why God has created us, what He wants from us and what rewards and punishments are for obedience and disobedience.
d) How to run our societies according to His will. That is, clear instructions and laws that, when applied correctly and honestly, will result in a smoothly functioning, harmonious society.
It is clear from the above discussion that there is no substitute for prophets. Even today with the advancement of science, the only authentic source of information about the supernatural world is revelation. Guidance can be obtained neither from science nor from mystic experience. The first is too materialistic and limited; the second is too subjective and frequently misleading.
Now one might ask:
How many prophets has God sent to humanity? We do not know for sure. Some Muslim scholars have suggested 240,000 prophets. We are only sure of what is clearly mentioned in the Qur'an, that God has sent a messenger to every nation. That is because it is one of God's principles that He will never call a people to account unless He has made clear to them what to do and what not to do. The Qur'an mentions the names of 25 prophets and indicates that there have been others who were not mentioned to Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). These 25 include Noah, Abraham, Moses, Jesus, and Muhammad (peace be upon them all). These five are the greatest among God's messengers. They are called 'the resolute' prophets.
An outstanding aspect of the Islamic belief in prophethood is that Muslims believe in and respect all the messengers of God with no exceptions. All the prophets came from the same One God, for the same purpose: to lead mankind to God. Hence, belief in them all is essential and logical; accepting some and rejecting others has to be based on misconceptions of the prophet's role or on a racial bias. The Muslims are the only people in the world who consider the belief in all the prophets an article of faith. Thus the Jews reject Jesus and Muhammad (peace be upon them), and the Christians reject Muhammad (peace be upon him). The Muslims accept them all as messengers of God who brought guidance to mankind. However, the revelations which those prophets before Muhammad (peace be upon him) brought from God has been tampered with in one way or another.
The belief in all the prophets of God is enjoined upon the Muslims in the Qur'an: Say (O Muslims): We believe in Allah and that which is revealed to us and that which was revealed to Abraham and Ishmael, and Isaac and Jacob, and their children, and that which Moses and Jesus received and that the prophets received from their Lord. We make no distinction between any of them and unto Him we have surrendered. (2:136)
The Qur'an continues in the following verses to instruct the Muslims that this is the true and impartial belief. If other nations believe in the same, they are following in the right track. If they do not, they must be following their own whims and biases and God will take care of them. Thus we read: And if they believe in what you believe, then they are rightly guided. But if they turn away, then they are in disunity, and Allah will suffice you against them. He is the Hearer, the Knower. This is God's religion and who is better than God in religion? (2:137-138)
There are, at least, two important points related to prophethood that need to be clarified. These points concern the roles of Jesus and Muhammad (peace be upon them) as prophets, who are usually misunderstood.
The Qur'anic account of Jesus emphatically rejects the concept of his 'divinity' and 'divine sonship' and presents him as one of the great prophets of God. The Qur'an makes it clear that the birth of Jesus without a father does not make him the son of God and mentions, in this respect, Adam, who was created by God without a father or mother.
Truly, the likeness of Jesus, in God's sight, is as Adam's likeness; He created him of dust, them said He unto him "Be", and he was. (3:59)
Like other prophets, Jesus also performed miracles. For example, he raised the dead and cured the blind and lepers, but while showing these miracles, he always made it clear that it was all from God. Actually, the misconceptions about the personality and mission of Jesus (peace be upon him) found a way among his followers because the Divine message he preached was not recorded during his presence in the world. Rather, it was recorded after a lapse of about one hundred years. According to the Qur'an, he was sent to the children of Israel; he confirmed the validity of the Torah, which was revealed to Moses (peace be upon him), and he also brought the glad tidings of a final messenger after him.
And when Jesus son of Mary said, "Children of Israel. I am indeed the messenger to you, confirming the Torah that is before me, and giving good tidings of a Messenger who shall come after me, whose name shall be the praised one. (61:6)
(The "praised one" is the translation of "Ahmad", which is Prophet Muhammad's name.)
However, the majority of the Jews rejected his ministry. They plotted against his life and in their opinion, crucified him. But the Qur'an refutes this opinion and says that they neither killed him nor crucified him; rather, he was raised up to God. There is a verse in the Qur'an which implies that Jesus will come back and all the Christians and Jews will believe in him before he dies. This is also supported by authentic sayings of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him).
The last prophet of God, Muhammad, was born in Arabia in the sixth century C.E. Up to the age of forty, people of Makkah knew him only as a man of excellent character and cultured manners and called him Al-Ameen (the trustworthy). He also did not know that he was soon to be made a prophet and receiver of revelation from God. He called the idolaters of Makkah to worship the one and only God and accept him (Muhammad, peace be upon him) as His prophet. The revelation that he received was preserved in his lifetime in the memory of his companions and was also recorded on pieces of palm leaf, leather, etc. Thus the Qur'an that is found today is the same that was revealed to him, not a syllable of it has been altered, as God Himself has guaranteed its preservation. This Qur'an claims to be the book of guidance for all of humanity for all times, and mentions Muhammad (peace e upon him) as the last Prophet of God.
Who was Jesus (peace be upon him)? (Why Islam? brochure)
by Yahiya Emerick
There are many questions that come to mind when the name Jesus is mentioned. Some people say he was a prophet, others call him a god, while others say he was a very wise man. But whatever your idea is, one thing remains certain: he was not your ordinary man. So if there is something special about him, why all the confusion?
Just who was Jesus anyway?
His Origin
Jesus lived about 2,000 years ago in ancient Palestine when the Roman Empire was at its zenith. He was not conceived in the usual way, but was implanted in the womb of a young woman named Mary. God simply commanded, "Be" and he was. In this sense, he was a word of God and a special sign for humanity. In fact, he was the last in a long line of religious guides sent to the Jews.
Mary, the Blessed
Mary was a righteous woman. Her mother dedicated her to Gods service even before she was born. As a child, she lived a life marked by health and righteousness, which others pointed to in admiration. She was raised by the wise Zechariah, who instilled in her, a beautiful sense of faith in God. When she had become a young woman, Mary sought to purify herself further before her Lord. Knowing that the hustle of life in the towns was distracting, she withdrew from her people to a sanctuary in the East. There she could meditate in seclusion and peace. Suddenly, on a day that seemed no different from the rest, an angel of God visited her, disguised in the likeness of a human. Afraid of so strange a sight, Mary prayed for protection, but the strange being reassured her and declared that he was a messenger from the Lord to announce the glad-tidings of a faultless son. Mary, astounded, asked how this was possible seeing that no man had ever touched her. But the angel replied, "Your Lord says, it is easy for Me." But when she felt the little child within her, she fled her sanctuary out of fear of what her family would do or say when they heard the news. Mary, however, was not to face hardship. When in her despair she cried out to God for oblivion, a voice soothed her and she found shade and a cool spring. Under a date-palm in the warmth of late summer, she made her dwelling and there bore the child unlike any other in human history.
Shortly thereafter, Mary returned to her community carrying the child who was to be called Messiah, Jesus, and son of Mary. When her people saw her with the baby in her arms they couldn't believe their eyes, let alone accept her word. They refused to believe when she told of an angel who came and told her she was chosen above all other women to carry this burden. They accused her of infidelity and implied that she had ruined the family name. Mary, being overwhelmed, simply motioned towards the child meekly.
The Miracles
Now the child was the product of a miracle and consequently, miraculous things began to happen. In defense of his mother and of the truth, the infant Jesus spoke saying, "I am a servant of God. He has given me Scripture and has made me a Prophet. He has blessed me wherever I may be and has made prayer and charity my duty as long as I live." This put the detractors to rest.
Throughout his youth, Jesus remained dutiful to his mother and developed quickly in intelligence, wisdom, and piety. He dumfounded the learned and was greatly admired by those around him who appreciated his talents. He claimed to be a sign of God and a Messenger to the Israelites.
His people had strayed from the spirit of truth and placed their trust in legalism, thereby burying their sense of mercy beneath dusty scrolls and rituals. Finally, when he came of age, Jesus began to travel and preach throughout the land of Palestine about a return to the truth of the old revelations and a rejection of all that man had added. In his task he was supported by the spirit of truth, the angel Gabriel.
The Gospel, His Message
He taught that love and mercy overcome hate and anger and that only a true and sincere faith in the Creator and obedience to His will can bring a person salvation in this life as well as in the next. To reinforce his message, which was called Injeel (Good News), God granted him the performance of miracles. He healed the sick, uplifted the distressed and revived the dead. All these things he did with the permission of God, never taking credit for them himself.
He led a simple and pious life. Soon he attracted an inner-circle of devoted followers who listened to his teachings with fervor and humility. These disciples, among them Peter, Barnabas, and John helped him carry the message of Divine Love to the people. They helped him in his mission.
A Test of Wills
But no righteous man of God is without trial and tribulation. As the message of Jesus began to gain wider acceptance, a small clique of hypocrites and evil men began to plot against him. They were the priests and leaders of the Jews whose position and wealth depended upon their place as the sole interpreters of religion to the masses. They pursued him and his followers and eventually captured him. Though they abused him, he never renounced his faith in the one God. So in their anger they plotted to crucify him on a Roman cross. But Jesus slipped from their grip at the last moment, and all the while they thought they had succeeded. They were sure they had killed him but God answered Jesus' prayer and saved him from their schemes. Confusion overtook the mob and they might have killed the man who betrayed Jesus instead. In any case, Jesus escaped from their grasp. Then God removed Jesus from this world into another dimension, to a place with Him, not to return until a later time.
With their teacher gone, the devoted followers of Jesus tried to maintain the purity and simplicity of his teachings. But they were soon besieged and overtaken by a flood of Roman and Greek influences, which eventually so buried and distorted the message of Jesus that only a little of its truth now remains. Strange doctrines of Jesus being a man-god, of God dying, of saint worship and of God being made up of different parts came into vogue and were accepted by many of those who took the name "Christians" centuries after Jesus.
Conclusion
The only records that have come down to us concerning Jesus are some sketchy biographical material, poorly researched and compiled, which can in no way be representative of the full and accurate Message of Jesus, the Son of Mary. The time of the final and incorruptible Message was not yet at hand. It would be left to the last prophet of God, Muhammad (peace be upon him), to clarify the truth from mans additions and deletions.
Jesus taught the same eternal message that was taught by all the Messengers of God, from Adam, on through Noah, Abraham, Moses and ending with the mission of Gods last Guidepost to humanity, Muhammad (peace be on them all), whose coming was foretold by Jesus himself.
Every nation and every people, from the Aztecs to the Greeks, have received a Prophet or a Messenger from God. Jesus was the last of a series of Messengers sent to the Israelites, but they consistently strayed from the path of surrender to God. Each of the many Messengers spoke a different language and followed varied customs. Yet the core faith taught by each was the same: surrender your imperfect and fickle will to the perfect will of the power that is greater than you. You will then find the peace and freedom that only the Creator of all things can provide. Then you must do what is right and good to your fellow creatures. This way of life is called Islam (surrender to God and find peace).
There are many questions that come to mind when the name Jesus is mentioned. Some people say he was a prophet, others call him a god, while others say he was a very wise man. But whatever your idea is, one thing remains certain: he was not your ordinary man. So if there is something special about him, why all the confusion?
Just who was Jesus anyway?
His Origin
Jesus lived about 2,000 years ago in ancient Palestine when the Roman Empire was at its zenith. He was not conceived in the usual way, but was implanted in the womb of a young woman named Mary. God simply commanded, "Be" and he was. In this sense, he was a word of God and a special sign for humanity. In fact, he was the last in a long line of religious guides sent to the Jews.
Mary, the Blessed
Mary was a righteous woman. Her mother dedicated her to Gods service even before she was born. As a child, she lived a life marked by health and righteousness, which others pointed to in admiration. She was raised by the wise Zechariah, who instilled in her, a beautiful sense of faith in God. When she had become a young woman, Mary sought to purify herself further before her Lord. Knowing that the hustle of life in the towns was distracting, she withdrew from her people to a sanctuary in the East. There she could meditate in seclusion and peace. Suddenly, on a day that seemed no different from the rest, an angel of God visited her, disguised in the likeness of a human. Afraid of so strange a sight, Mary prayed for protection, but the strange being reassured her and declared that he was a messenger from the Lord to announce the glad-tidings of a faultless son. Mary, astounded, asked how this was possible seeing that no man had ever touched her. But the angel replied, "Your Lord says, it is easy for Me." But when she felt the little child within her, she fled her sanctuary out of fear of what her family would do or say when they heard the news. Mary, however, was not to face hardship. When in her despair she cried out to God for oblivion, a voice soothed her and she found shade and a cool spring. Under a date-palm in the warmth of late summer, she made her dwelling and there bore the child unlike any other in human history.
Shortly thereafter, Mary returned to her community carrying the child who was to be called Messiah, Jesus, and son of Mary. When her people saw her with the baby in her arms they couldn't believe their eyes, let alone accept her word. They refused to believe when she told of an angel who came and told her she was chosen above all other women to carry this burden. They accused her of infidelity and implied that she had ruined the family name. Mary, being overwhelmed, simply motioned towards the child meekly.
The Miracles
Now the child was the product of a miracle and consequently, miraculous things began to happen. In defense of his mother and of the truth, the infant Jesus spoke saying, "I am a servant of God. He has given me Scripture and has made me a Prophet. He has blessed me wherever I may be and has made prayer and charity my duty as long as I live." This put the detractors to rest.
Throughout his youth, Jesus remained dutiful to his mother and developed quickly in intelligence, wisdom, and piety. He dumfounded the learned and was greatly admired by those around him who appreciated his talents. He claimed to be a sign of God and a Messenger to the Israelites.
His people had strayed from the spirit of truth and placed their trust in legalism, thereby burying their sense of mercy beneath dusty scrolls and rituals. Finally, when he came of age, Jesus began to travel and preach throughout the land of Palestine about a return to the truth of the old revelations and a rejection of all that man had added. In his task he was supported by the spirit of truth, the angel Gabriel.
The Gospel, His Message
He taught that love and mercy overcome hate and anger and that only a true and sincere faith in the Creator and obedience to His will can bring a person salvation in this life as well as in the next. To reinforce his message, which was called Injeel (Good News), God granted him the performance of miracles. He healed the sick, uplifted the distressed and revived the dead. All these things he did with the permission of God, never taking credit for them himself.
He led a simple and pious life. Soon he attracted an inner-circle of devoted followers who listened to his teachings with fervor and humility. These disciples, among them Peter, Barnabas, and John helped him carry the message of Divine Love to the people. They helped him in his mission.
A Test of Wills
But no righteous man of God is without trial and tribulation. As the message of Jesus began to gain wider acceptance, a small clique of hypocrites and evil men began to plot against him. They were the priests and leaders of the Jews whose position and wealth depended upon their place as the sole interpreters of religion to the masses. They pursued him and his followers and eventually captured him. Though they abused him, he never renounced his faith in the one God. So in their anger they plotted to crucify him on a Roman cross. But Jesus slipped from their grip at the last moment, and all the while they thought they had succeeded. They were sure they had killed him but God answered Jesus' prayer and saved him from their schemes. Confusion overtook the mob and they might have killed the man who betrayed Jesus instead. In any case, Jesus escaped from their grasp. Then God removed Jesus from this world into another dimension, to a place with Him, not to return until a later time.
With their teacher gone, the devoted followers of Jesus tried to maintain the purity and simplicity of his teachings. But they were soon besieged and overtaken by a flood of Roman and Greek influences, which eventually so buried and distorted the message of Jesus that only a little of its truth now remains. Strange doctrines of Jesus being a man-god, of God dying, of saint worship and of God being made up of different parts came into vogue and were accepted by many of those who took the name "Christians" centuries after Jesus.
Conclusion
The only records that have come down to us concerning Jesus are some sketchy biographical material, poorly researched and compiled, which can in no way be representative of the full and accurate Message of Jesus, the Son of Mary. The time of the final and incorruptible Message was not yet at hand. It would be left to the last prophet of God, Muhammad (peace be upon him), to clarify the truth from mans additions and deletions.
Jesus taught the same eternal message that was taught by all the Messengers of God, from Adam, on through Noah, Abraham, Moses and ending with the mission of Gods last Guidepost to humanity, Muhammad (peace be on them all), whose coming was foretold by Jesus himself.
Every nation and every people, from the Aztecs to the Greeks, have received a Prophet or a Messenger from God. Jesus was the last of a series of Messengers sent to the Israelites, but they consistently strayed from the path of surrender to God. Each of the many Messengers spoke a different language and followed varied customs. Yet the core faith taught by each was the same: surrender your imperfect and fickle will to the perfect will of the power that is greater than you. You will then find the peace and freedom that only the Creator of all things can provide. Then you must do what is right and good to your fellow creatures. This way of life is called Islam (surrender to God and find peace).
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